


A Chance Meeting

by missema



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Kiss Battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2018-01-11 18:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1176648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missema/pseuds/missema
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fenris is briefly befriended by Warden Mahariel on his way to Starkhaven with Sebastian.</p><p>For the kiss battle 2014 prompt:<br/>Mahariel/Fenris - Reflections in the eyes of beasts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Chance Meeting

"Forgive me if I sound a little jealous, Fenris. It is an unseemly trait in a man, but I cannot master myself in this one instance." Sebastian admitted to him over the fire, a sheepish grin on his face. Fenris didn't usually have more than a grunt for situations like this, and surely he wouldn't be so charitable if it had been Varric relaying the tale instead of himself, but in this case, he allowed himself a small, lopsided grin.

Not too many hours ago he'd been scouting the path ahead. He was a poor scout, his armor too heavy and his footfalls nowhere near the silent treads that Sebastian made. But they were nearly alone on this road to Starkhaven, and Sebastian was far past exhaustion, though he never complained. He would not, Fenris knew that, and had assigned this duty to himself so Sebastian would not take it on.

The highwaymen fell upon him in an instant, and though he could cut his way through a great many men, the darkness and unfamiliarity of the terrain served to their advantage. They were mounted, and shot him from a distance he could not hope to match, not even with the length and ferocity of his Blade of Mercy.

But then one after another, they began to fall. Not to his blade alone - he'd fought in a group for too long to not know the signs of backup arriving at just the right time. He didn't know who it could be, there were none of the arrows that would indicate Sebastian's arrival, but yet his enemies kept falling, to his blade and to someone else.

It was only when she danced up behind a man he was fighting head on, that he saw his rescuer. Warden Blue was the first thing that registered in his mind, then the daggers that flashed and shone as she ducked and jumped away, heading off a fleeing target. 

Were it not for the blue, and the glimpse of her Dalish face, he would have sworn it was Hawke. They moved the same - too similarly to be coincidence - but where Hawke was human and pale as moonlight, this elven woman was dark in complexion and hair with vallaslin across her face. She even laughed as she fought, but he thought it must be a trait shared by many rogues, since he'd heard Varric and Sebastian's grim laughter chiming against the eerie, mirthless giggles of Hawke in battle.

When she came back, he didn't hear her, but felt her presence. He was stripping the attackers of their valuables, and set some aside for her. Fenris was seething at his own ineptitude, that attack nearly killing him before he could even call for help. He wanted to thank her, but the words were stuck like bitter phlegm in the back of his throat.

When their eyes met for the second time, it was forgotten, and everything extraneous was set aside. It would be too romantic to say he felt he knew her, but yet he did. Warrior recognized another, the wolf within flaring at the sight of one of its own, but somehow altered. His fury was reflected in her eyes, and he saw the beast that lurked under her skin. She was like him, half-wild but hiding, restrained by armor and people and things when she was made to fight, and be the only one left standing at the end.

Her kiss wasn't unexpected, but the passion in it was. Fenris was unused to this, Isabela's kisses had never lacked skill but the attraction between them was nothing like this feral heat that made this unknown warden push at his lips with her tongue, then bite his lower lip when he parted them to let her in. It seemed to go on forever, hands in hair and on the back of his neck, pulling him closer, reminding him of what it was like to run free with the Fog Warriors on Seheron. She tasted of blood and wind, of the forest and something deep and old and dark that reminded him of the idol Bartrand so foolishly took from the Deep Roads.

And then it was over. Their breath came in pants that seemed to echo in the stillness of the night, and his mouth felt bruised and lonely. She was standing back, demurely fixing her armor and smiling at him.

"The last man I kissed became King of Ferelden. I hope you fare better than that, friend." She said.

She held up her hand in a sort of farewell and sprinted off after scooping up her side of the spoils. He watched the spot where she disappeared into the horizon until he came back to his senses, chiding himself for being sentimental.

When he was done, he led the horses back to Sebastian and their meager campsite. When he described the woman, Sebastian inhaled sharply and said, "The Hero of Ferelden", confirming his guess at her identity.

"Ah, that explains much." Fenris mused, more to himself than Sebastian

"What's that?" Sebastian asked.

"Her fighting style was a great deal like Isabela's." Fenris said. "It seems that story was true."


End file.
